Tag Archives: D.L. Moody

We live in a polarized world where any type of comment, statement or words can ignite explosive comments on Twitter. Sometimes things can be taken out of context, but once you hit send you can’t take this back. Subsequently, political correctness is the new bully on the block, causing conservatives and liberals to retract earlier posts. This public pressure is deterring many from bolding expressing what people believe. The byproduct of this atmosphere produces lame Christians that often hide Jesus’ name.

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house,” Matthew 5:14-15.

This fear inspired the words to the children’s classic song This Little Light of Mine. Harry Dixon Loes, a former student at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago composed this song. The founder of this school, D.L. Moody, wanted to serve God but wasn’t given a classroom to teach in his church. An elder encouraged him to start a Sunday School outside of church and when his class got big enough a space would be provided. Thus, D.L, Moody went to the beaches of Lake Michigan and began to introduce strangers to the good news about Jesus Christ.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven, Matthew 5:16.

Eventually, Moody’s following became so large, he started his own church in the 1800’s. On the day of the great Chicago fire of 1871, Moody felt rushed at the end of his sermon. Thus, he decided to skip his call to action, a time to accept Jesus as Savior and Lord. Later that night, several members of his congregation were killed by the flames. This error in judgment burned within Moody’s heart, inspiring weekly altar calls in case another unexpected disaster followed. Like the words of Jesus above, lamps are meant to shine light every where. Therefore, don’t allow peer pressure to limit the light of Christ within you. Rather, let your light shine.